


Starting Again

by thePetetoherPatrick



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of past abuse, Oneshot, Suggested Smut, no actual smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 15:53:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17164874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thePetetoherPatrick/pseuds/thePetetoherPatrick
Summary: “Father, can I have a friend over for Christmas this year?”Draco frowned and looked at his son, his face so hopeful that Draco couldn’t even think of telling him no.





	Starting Again

Draco grumbled as he tried to wrap his gifts for his son. He’d never learned how to do some things, like this, with Magic and he’d never learned to do it by hand either. His gifts were wrapped haphazardly and there was a lot of visible tape. It was a mess but he was trying. Christmas break was coming fast and he was not quite ready yet. His son would be here soon and he wished his wife was here to help him. He looked at his work and sighed heavily.

 

“That’ll have to do, I suppose.”

 

He picked up the gifts and carried them over to put them under the tree with the others. He didn’t have much for Scorpius this year but that was due to just not really knowing what to get him this year. He looked at the clock and sighed, before pacing a little as he waited for Scorpius to arrive home from school. The fireplace crackled and sizzled until Scorpius stepped into the room, smiling warmly at his father. Draco held his arms open to him and hugged him tight as his son ran to hug him.

 

“Hello, father.”

 

“How has school been since I talked to you last?”

 

“Great, Potions was tricky but I passed with a good mark on the tests.”

 

“Well that’s good. I hope you’ll be able to relax this break. We do have a dinner with my parents on Saturday, though.”

 

Scorpius frowned but nodded before he smiled and looked up at Draco.

 

“Father, can I have a friend over for Christmas this year?”

 

Draco frowned and looked at his son, his face so hopeful that Draco couldn’t even think of telling him no.

 

“I suppose so…invite your friend and their family over for dinner tomorrow…I can discuss with their parents about them staying for the break easier that way.”

 

Scorpius smiled and hugged Draco tightly before taking off to write a letter to whoever his friend was. Scorpius hadn’t much talked about his friends at school with Draco, he assumed that maybe he didn’t have many but he spent a lot of time studying so Draco didn’t push the issue. He’d rather that his son gets good grades and do well in school than have him having around with troublemakers or something. He still couldn’t help but smile a little at his boy’s excitement. Christmas break had been hard on both of them since Draco’s wife passed away a couple of years ago at the end of Scorpius’ first year. He hoped that maybe having a friend here for Scorpius would make it a little better.

 

His mother had taken the care to teach him how to cook with magic but only minimally, as she herself rarely even cooked. He’d learned the rest of what little he knew from his wife when she would cook for him and Scorpius. He tried to help her when he could. He could cook well enough for himself and for Scorpius when he was home, but he very rarely had others over for dinner. His parents occasionally but they brought their new house elf with them to cook. He sighed and went to look into some recipes in books he knew were lying around unused.

 

~~~~~

 

Draco tried his best to follow the recipes he’d found that looked simple enough for him to try and make a decent meal. Scorpius had told him that it would be only his friend and his father, because apparently his friend’s parents were divorced for about as long as Draco had been a widower. He said that he did have siblings but that they were with their mother for the holidays. That was all the information Scorpius would willingly give him. He had grumbled and shook his head as he went about preparing for their guests.

 

When he heard a knock on the door, he jumped as it startled him out of his thoughts and made him drop what he was working on. He went to the door to open it and raised his eyebrow at the people on his doorstep.

 

“Potter?”

 

He looked at Harry in confusion. He wasn’t sure which of his sons he had with him as they both looked a lot like him in the three brief glimpses he’d caught of them at King’s Cross at the beginning of each school year. He had to assume that this was Scorpius’ friend.

 

“Did Scorpius not tell you that we were coming?”

 

Harry seemed a little alarmed by this notion and looked as though he expected Draco to be angry. He’d hardly spoken to Harry since they’d left school after the Battle of Hogwarts. They’d left each other on better terms than they’d ever been in but never as friends and had thus never kept in contact and only saw each other when dropping off their children for school each year.

 

“No, he did, just…he didn’t tell me _who_ his friend was. He just asked if he could have a friend over.”

 

“Oh…sorry…”

 

Harry stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

 

“It’s fine, I was just surprised. Come on in.”

 

Draco moved out of the way to let them in. Scorpius came running into the front hall as the boy kicked off his shoes and neatly set them beside Draco’s.

 

“Albus!”

 

He shoved past his father to grab the young Potter boy and run off with him. Draco watched them in confusion as they ran off into the house. Harry chuckled and Draco snapped out of it, looking back at him.

 

“Albus talks about Scorpius all the time, he has since his first year when they became friends.”

 

“I didn’t even know they were friends.”

 

Harry shrugged and looked uncomfortable again.

 

“Er…make yourself at home I guess. You can leave your shoes at the door with the rest if you’d like. Dinner should be ready soon.”

 

Harry smiled before kicking off his shoes and following Draco into the kitchen. Draco grumbled at the food as he picked up where he left off and hoped he could make this up to Harry’s standard. He looked up when he heard the swish of a wand just in time to see the plates and silverware on the counter fly towards the table and set itself. Harry smiled sheepishly and Draco looked at him, frowning slightly.

 

“You looked like you could use a little help.”

 

“Thanks…”

 

Harry only smiled and sat at the counter quietly watching Draco work. Draco finished with dinner and set the food on the table. He went to the stairs, assuming the children went upstairs to Scorpius’ room, and hollered up at them.

 

“Dinner is ready.”

 

He went back to the kitchen as he was greeted with the sound of feet on the hallway floor and then on the stairs. Harry was carrying the last dish of food to the table and stopped in his tracks when Draco spotted him. He set it down on the table and brushed off his hands, just standing there looking unsure of what to do.

 

“Well, sit down.”

 

Harry nodded and took a seat beside where Draco usually sits, the seat that his wife used to sit in. Usually this bothered Draco but today for some reason it didn’t. Scorpius and Albus came running down and took their places at the table. Draco sighed and sat down. They passed around the food. Harry and Draco ate quietly as Scorpius and Albus discussed one of the wizards on their Chocolate Frog cards. It was a while before Scorpius turned to his father and spoke to him.

 

“Father, you said you’d ask Mr. Potter about Albus staying for the break.”

 

Draco cleared his throat and looked at Harry sheepishly. Harry frowned and looked at Albus sadly. Draco began to get the notion that Harry might not get to spend the holidays with his children much if he’d divorced Ginny and the other two were with her.

 

“Um…well…I had thought that it would be good for you to have a friend here for the break…but that’s entirely up to Harry. And Albus may want to spend the holiday with his father.”

 

Draco looked at his food, pushing some of it around and glancing at Harry who was now looking at him. Harry looked over at Albus.

 

“If Albus wants to stay…then I guess that would be okay…”

 

He seemed disappointed when Albus nodded his head excitedly. Draco could almost hear his heart breaking. After they finished he gathered up as many dishes as he could carry and went to wash them as Scorpius took Albus to set up where he’d be sleeping. He heard someone behind him and looked over to see Harry with more dishes, setting them on the counter.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Draco said without much thought. He was sorry to take Albus from Harry for the holiday.

 

“For what?”

 

“You seemed disappointed that Albus wanted to stay.”

 

“I don’t see the kids at the holidays. They live with me during the summer but they stay with their mother at Christmas and Easter. It’s not so bad, just means a lot of lonely holidays. Ron and Hermione go to the Burrow at Christmas and so does Ginny with the kids. Mr and Mrs. Weasley try to get me to go too but it still feels awkward to be there with Ginny. Sorry, you don’t need to hear all this. I’m sure you have enough to worry about without my petty troubles.”

 

Harry turned to get the rest of the dishes. Draco considered what Harry had said and frowned as he tried to convince himself that what he was about to say wasn’t completely absurd.

 

“Why don’t…you’re welcome to spend the holiday here with me and the boys…if you’d like to.”

 

Draco looked at the other man warily as he registered what Draco just said. He looked at Draco in confusion.

 

“You mean that?”

 

Draco just nodded and went back to washing the dishes.

 

“I’ll have to get clothes for me and Albus…maybe grab his presents from home. I sent the ones for the other kids with their mother when she picked them up.”

 

“There’s some Floo powder above the fireplace in the living room.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Draco nodded and continued with the dishes. When he did look up Harry was gone. He assumed home to grab their things. He heard the crackle of the fireplace when he came back as Draco finished the dishes. He went out to see Harry setting a few gifts under the tree and a rucksack in his arms.

 

“I…don’t have a spare room though…so you can have my room if you’d like.”

 

Draco sighed and looked at the floor.

 

“It’s alright. I’ll be fine on the couch. No sneaky children will get past me to look at their gifts.”

 

Harry grinned and set his bag beside the couch.

 

“Are you sure? About sleeping on the couch.”

 

Harry nodded and looked at it.

 

“It looks comfy enough and I wouldn’t dream of disrupting your normal life for something like this. It’s kind enough of you to even offer for me to stay. I’d rather not push it.”

 

Harry sat on the couch and looked at the tree.

 

“Did you decorate the tree?”

 

“I tried to. I’m not very good at it…I’m surprised you and Albus ate as much of my iffy cooking as you did.”

 

“It wasn’t bad. Could use a little less salt on the meat but not bad.”

 

“You can cook?”

 

“Yes…I was forced to learn when I lived with my Aunt and Uncle.”

 

Harry avoided Draco’s gaze as he said it. Draco wasn’t really all that sure why, or why his Aunt and Uncle would force him to learn to cook. He had heard a vague rumour once that his family wasn’t kind to him but he’d never thought much of it. He wandered away to the linen cupboard upstairs and came back with a plush blanket and soft pillow for Harry. The man was sitting in front of the fire place, stacking some wood to make a small fire. Draco would have done it already but he’d expected Scorpius’ friend to arrive by Floo. Draco watched him as he struck a match to light the fire instead of using his wand. Draco was surprised he knew how to do it that way. Draco only kept the matches in case he needed them and usually used his wand. It was strange to watch him but when he was done he sat with his back against the front of the couch and watched the fire. Draco set the blanket and pillow on the couch and sat down on the floor beside Harry quietly.

 

“I…heard once…that your Aunt and Uncle were…not nice people.”

 

“They were and they weren’t. I think there was a lot that both sides didn’t understand at the time. They were…harsh and mean, I can’t deny that, but they had moments just before the Battle that kind of…I don’t know anymore. Dudley, my cousin, sends cards for the holidays but that’s all. I don’t talk to them much anymore.”

 

Draco nodded and looked at the flames crackling away on the logs. He was realizing how little he actually knew about Harry as a person. He’d grown up hearing about the Boy Who Lived and he gleaned a little about him in school but not enough to truly know Harry or who he was. They sat in silence for a while but it was uncomfortable. Neither man seemed to know how to start a conversation. Draco could see Harry looking around the living room and realized that Harry was likely in the same boat he was. They’d never been friends and neither man truly knew the other.

 

“You play chess?”

 

Draco looked up and saw Harry looking at his chess set on the bookshelf.

 

“Sometimes. Scorpius plays with me but he’d rather do other things usually. My wife used to play with me but…it’s been a while since I played.”

 

Harry frowned.

 

“What happened to your wife?”

 

“She passed away at the end of Scorpius’ first year in school. She’d been sick for a while. I miss her but I’ve got my son to worry about. When he’s away at school it gets a little harder but I manage, find things to occupy my time.”

 

Draco leaned his head back against the couch cushion as he thought about her. He did miss her and it still hurt a lot but not as much as it had. They’d known it was coming just not when until it was too late. Her family had a curse on it that meant she wouldn’t live to much of an old age, having Scorpius weakened her already delicate body and the illness took her. She admitted once that she hadn’t expected to even see Scorpius reach school age but she had and that was more than enough of a joy for her. Draco hadn’t been ready to let go of her but he wasn’t given an option.

 

“Do you want to play?”

 

Harry’s voice pulled him back out of his thoughts and Draco nodded with a small smile. Harry got up and picked up the board to bring it back to set on the floor between him and Draco. They set up the game and began. He could swear he saw the boys peaking down the stairs at them but he ignored it and focused instead on the game in front of him.

 

~~~~~

 

Draco woke up in his bed, not remembering going there last night. He could smell food and he was confused. He climbed out of bed, still in his clothes from last night. He got changed into some fresh clothes and padded downstairs in his bare feet. Harry was in the kitchen making breakfast and the kids were at the table already eating.

 

“Father, can we go to Diagon Alley today?”

 

Draco looked at Harry who nodded that he was okay with it as he plated the last of the food.

 

“Yeah, I guess so. After breakfast.”

 

Harry set a plate at Draco’s spot and then sat in the same place as he had last night with his own food. Draco sat down and smiled at Harry.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“No problem.”

 

They ate quietly as the kids talked. Afterwards, Harry did the dishes despite Draco protesting that he should help. The kids ran upstairs to get dressed to go out.

 

“How did I get to bed last night? I don’t remember going upstairs.”

 

“You fell asleep after we finished our fourth round of chess so I carried you. You seemed really tired and I wasn’t letting you sleep on the floor.”

 

Harry said as he finished the dishes.

 

“So, you just…carried me up there and tucked me into bed.”

 

“Yes. Friends don’t let friends sleep on their own living room floor.”

 

“Friends…?”

 

Draco was more confused. Harry would consider him a friend?

 

“If our sons are going to be friends then we should at least try to get along, and I had fun last night.”

 

Harry smiled.

 

“You asked to be my friend once and I said no because of the way you behaved at the time but you seem to have changed. I’m willing to give it a chance if you are.”

 

Draco smiled and nodded.

 

“I’d like that.”

 

Harry smiled and went to grab his shoes and coat. Draco went upstairs and got some socks before putting on his shoes and jacket. The kids and Harry were already waiting. They went by Floo to Diagon Alley and the kids immediately tried to run off but Harry grabbed Albus by the collar of his jacket before they could get far.

 

“We’ll all meet back right here in two hours. No longer. Okay?”

 

Albus and Scorpius nodded in agreement and were set free. Harry smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking to Draco.

 

“So, what do you want to do while they are off having fun?”

 

“Er…I don’t know…usually I’m with Scorpius while we’re here.”

 

“Well, he’s busy. What would you like to do with your two hours, kid free?”

 

Draco looked around and spotted the book store. He gestured to it and Harry nodded for him to go ahead. Draco smiled and stepped into the store to look around. There weren’t too many people here on Christmas Eve and Draco didn’t mind it. It was nice. Harry wandered away from him in the store and was doing his own thing. Draco found his favourite book and smiled. He wondered if Harry had ever read it. Probably not. Not many people his own age had read it as it was older. He realized he didn’t have a present for Harry or Albus. He pulled a copy of the book off the shelf and browsed around to find some he hadn’t read to add to his collection. He went up and paid for his books and then waited for Harry. He didn’t have any books and Draco raised an eyebrow as he held his bag of books. Harry smiled and they went to a couple of other stores. Draco found a cool quill and notebook set that he thought maybe Albus would like for school and he bought it while Harry was busy looking at something else. Harry did buy a few things but Draco didn’t see what. They wandered for a while until the two hours were almost up and went back to the Floo entrance to wait for the boys. They came back with small bags of their own purchases, laughing together about something from Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Draco dreaded what little tricks Scorpius would lay around the house for him over the next few days. When they got home the boys took off upstairs again. Draco grabbed the gift wrap he’d left in the living room and went up to his room to wrap the gifts for Harry and Albus.

 

When he came back down to put them under the tree he noticed there were more gifts than there had been after Harry added his for Albus. He frowned and saw two labelled with his own name with the same writing on both. He didn’t recognize it. Scorpius had gotten him something, but that had already been there and he knew it was there. These were from someone else. He shook it off and set the gifts down before going to put his own books on the shelf. He kept one and sat in his reading chair with it, jumping when a cup of tea was held in front of him. He looked up at Harry, who was holding it, and smiled.

 

“I hope I did it right. Scorpius told me what you take in your tea when I asked him this morning.”

 

Draco took the cup and sipped quietly, nodding his approval before setting it on the table beside him.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Harry nodded and went to sit on the couch. He pulled something out of his pocket and began tapping at it. Draco frowned and studied him.

 

“What…in the world is that…?”

 

Harry looked up at him.

 

“My cell phone…”

 

“Your what?”

 

Harry patted the couch beside him and Draco got up to go sit beside him.

 

“It’s a muggle device. Hermione is messaging me right now. It lets you message or talk to people. You can also play games on it and take pictures.”

 

“Really?”

 

Harry nodded and leaned back, pointing the back of the cell phone at Draco and tapping the front before he sat back up and turned it to show Draco. It was a still image of Draco.

 

“Muggle pictures don’t move?”

 

“No, they record video though. Which is like a moving picture but it only shows what they recorded. They don’t move of their own free will like our pictures do.”

 

Draco looked at it in confusion as it buzzed and Harry tapped at the screen until he was looking at a white image with a bunch of shapes and words. He smiled at it and tapped at it rapidly before pausing. Draco had no idea what he was looking at. Harry seemed to notice his confusion and handed it to Draco.

 

“Message her and say hello.”

 

“Will she know it’s me?”

 

“Not if you don’t tell her, which you should or she’ll be confused.”

 

Draco looked at the bubbles and saw that it was Hermione, and Harry had told her he was at Draco’s house.

 

“How?”

 

“You just tap the screen where the letters you want are and then tap the button that says send on it.”

 

Draco furrowed his brows and tapped out a message that just said ‘Hello Hermione – from Draco’. He waited a minute and she messaged back. His eyes went wide at how fast it was. It read ‘Hello Draco, is Harry teaching you how the phone works?’ with a little laughing face beside it. Draco smiled and typed back to her. ‘Yes, it’s strange. How do you do this all the time?’. It started buzzing in his hand and came up with Hermione’s name. Draco looked at Harry who reached over and tapped the green circle and then tapped something else.

 

_“Hey Draco. Hey Harry.”_

 

Hermione’s voice came through the phone and Draco jumped.

 

“Um…hello…”

 

Harry smiled at Draco’s reaction.

 

_“I thought it might be easier for you to talk than to try to text.”_

 

Draco looked at Harry in confusion.

 

“Texting in what the messaging is called. You text pretty slow so she’s making it easier for you.”

 

“Oh…ok…thank you. It’s weird but seems pretty convenient. Faster than sending owls.”

 

Hermione laughed.

 

_“Yes, Muggles are quite brilliant in their methods as fast as speedy communication goes.”_

 

He nodded and smiled at the phone before realizing she couldn’t see him.

 

“Yeah, I guess so.”

 

_“So, what have you two been getting up to?”_

 

“We…took the kids to Diagon Alley today. They wanted to go. Haven’t done much else today.”   


_“Well that sounds like fun. What are the plans for tonight?”_

 

Draco looked at Harry and shrugged. Harry was the one who spoke up.

 

“We haven’t quite decided yet. Maybe dinner. It’s Christmas Eve, so the kids should go to be a little earlier.”

 

There was noise on Hermione’s end of the phone.

 

_“That sounds fun. Unfortunately, I have to go. Molly is calling me to help downstairs. You two have fun and I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”_

 

 She said happily, Harry and Draco both saying goodbye to her before the phone’s image changed and she was gone. Draco looked at the phone in confusion and then handed it to Harry.

 

“That thing is strange.”

 

“I find it useful. Like you said, it’s easier and faster than sending owls. Plus, you don’t have to feed and take care of it like you do an owl.”

 

Draco nodded and went back to his arm chair. He sipped his tea and went back to his book as Harry played with his phone. They sat quietly for a while.

 

“What do you normally do on Christmas Eve?”

 

Harry asked him after a while.

 

“Scorpius and I don’t really do much of anything. You?”

 

Harry shook his head. Draco hadn’t really thought about anything for them to do. The boys came down the stairs a little while later and Scorpius began to prod at his father.

 

“What?”

 

“What’s for dinner?”

 

“I don’t know. What do you want for dinner tonight?”

 

Scorpius shrugged and Draco looked at Harry and Albus who also shrugged.

 

“You’re all no help and you’ll get what I make I guess.”

 

Draco got out of his chair and went to the kitchen. He decided to just make something quick and simple. Just as he finished making dinner he heard squawking and yelling from the living room. He ran to the doorway to see what was going on and saw the two boys giggling as Harry tickled them. Albus tried to push his father away and managed to wriggle away to climb up on his back and wrap his arms around Harry’s neck. Draco leaned against the door frame and smiled as he watched them. Scorpius sat up and laughed as Harry pretended to fight against Albus’ hold on him. His heart swelled with joy as he watched Harry and the boys play so freely and happily. He’d never had that as a child and didn’t play like that with Scorpius but he wished he’d known how to. Harry likely didn’t have that as a child either but he was used to playing with his children Draco supposed. Even if the boys were thirteen now they seemed to like the game. It was like they were still little kids and it made Draco inexplicably happy.

 

“Dinner is ready if you animals are done horsing around in my living room.”

 

Draco said but there was no weight behind it and he smiled widely. The boys abandoned their assault on Harry in favour of running for food. Harry stood up and straightened himself out before walking over to where Draco was standing. He glanced up and then back down at Draco. He hadn’t realized how tall Harry was before but he was standing awfully close.

 

“Mistletoe seems like a strange decoration for a house with only a single father and his son.”

 

Draco furrowed his brows together.

 

“What?”

 

Harry pointed up and Draco saw what he was talking about. He hadn’t put that decoration up in years.

 

“I didn’t put that up. I usually don’t.”

 

Harry chuckled and Draco turned red as he realized he’d been standing under it this whole time.

 

“Who am I to argue with the rules of the mistletoe?”

 

Harry mumbled just loud enough for Draco to hear before he leaned down and kissed him gently. Draco jolted and leaned away from him to look at Harry wide eyed. Harry just smiled and slipped around him to go eat his dinner. Draco stood there stunned for a minute, looking at the mistletoe, not sure what had just happened. He shook it off and went to the table to join the others. He ate in silence, glancing at Harry curiously as they ate. Harry paid him not attention. When dinner was done Harry shooed both of the boys upstairs to bed with the threat that they wouldn’t get any gifts if they didn’t. Draco sat in his arm chair, still stunned at what had happened. Harry came back into the living room and looked at Draco.

 

“You ok?”

 

“I…you kissed me?”

 

Harry sighed and moved towards him, leaning down with his hands on the arms of the chair and his face very close to Draco’s.

 

“Yes, that was the point. You were standing under the mistletoe. What else was I supposed to do?”

 

“I…I…don’t know.”

 

“You’re a pretty dark shade of red right now.”

 

Harry grinned and Draco could feel the heat in his face as he blushed harder. Harry used one hand to tilt Draco’s head up and he kissed him more firmly this time. Draco froze and felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest it was beating so fast. He couldn’t help but melt into it and he learned something he never expected to; Harry was a very good kisser. He kissed Harry back and reached up to tangle his fingers in Harry’s messy hair. Harry was the one to break the kiss and he looked at Draco, both of them trying to catch their breath. Harry grinned and kissed Draco’s jaw and neck, making him gasp and groan as he leaned into it. He’d missed this kind of thing and hadn’t really realized that he had until now. He was getting hard and uncomfortably so, he was unsure of what was really going on right now or why Harry had taken this further step with him when they’d only just become friends. It seemed fast and it was making Draco’s head spin. He pushed Harry back and looked at him. His glasses were sitting crookedly on his face and he smiled softly at Draco.

 

“What are we doing? This is…”

 

“I’m sorry, if I’m making you uncomfortable I’ll stop. Honestly, I don’t know. I just couldn’t resist when you were standing in that doorway like that and I just…I’m sorry.”

 

Harry straightened himself out and stood up to go over to the couch. Draco found himself feeling disappointed that he’d stopped. Maybe this wasn’t so bad. Maybe he was overthinking it. He did definitely find Harry attractive now that they were older. He got out of his chair and stopped Harry from crawling into his spot on the couch. Harry looked at him, suddenly uncertain, and hesitated. Draco tugged on his hand and made him stand back up before pulling his head down so that he could kiss him again. Harry seemed to get the hint and picked Draco up to take him upstairs to his bedroom.

 

~~~~~

 

Draco woke up stiff but not unhappy about it as he remembered the night before. He felt Harry’s weight in the bed beside him. He froze as he heard his bedroom door open and the two boys sneak in. They got close to the bed and he internally wanted to scream as he was sure they could see Harry in the bed next to him. He knew from the bite of the cold air that they could see his bare back and probably Harry’s chest. He heard giggles and was confused when he heard a high five between them.

 

“The mistletoe worked!”

 

Scorpius whispered to Albus and it dawned on Draco what was going on. The children had set them up. It was only a moment before both boys jumped up on the bed to shake their fathers awake. Harry was apparently not actually sleeping as he jumped as soon as they got on the bed and sent them screaming as he growled playfully and scared them off. They ran downstairs and Harry leaned over to kiss Draco’s shoulder.

 

“I do believe, that our sons have been scheming behind our backs.”

 

Draco turned his head to look at Harry who was smiling.

 

“Yes, I gathered that notion as well. How shall we be punishing them for their mischief?”

 

“I think that I’m not going to wear a shirt and you’re going to sit in my lap while they open presents and I will kiss you and gross them out.”

 

Harry grinned evilly and Draco laughed.

 

“Brilliant.”

 

They both got up and dressed before going downstairs to find both boys sitting patiently on the floor in front of the tree waiting. Harry moved without hesitation to sit in Draco’s chair and he heard Scorpius gasp. Draco grinned and sat in Harry’s lap, curling into him as comfortably as he could. Harry leaned down and kissed him. Both boys made gagging noises and yelled about PDA, making their fathers chuckle.

 

“Scorpius, you hand out the presents this year.”

 

Scorpius scrambled up and grabbed a present for each Draco and Harry, giving it to them before grabbing one for Albus and himself. Draco looked at the gift suspiciously. It was one of the ones that had appeared with no explanation. He looked at the one Harry held and froze. It was the one Draco had gotten him. Harry smiled at Draco and opened it to see the book. Harry smiled at him.

 

“Thank you, I’m always looking for new reading material. I haven’t read this one.”

 

“It’s one of my favourites. I know it’s kind of old but I think it’s good.”

 

 Harry smiled warmly and nodded, setting the book on the table beside them. Draco heard Albus happily talking to Scorpius and he looked over to see that he’d opened Draco’s gift for him.

 

“Thank you, Mr. Malfoy.”

 

Draco smiled and nodded.

 

“You can call me Draco, Albus.”

 

Albus nodded happily and went back to talking to Scorpius about their first gifts. Draco looked at the gift in his lap and carefully opened it. He raised an eyebrow at the strange labelled box inside it. It said on it that it was a Nintendo DS but he didn’t know what that was but he did know it was a Muggle device from the look of it. He looked at Harry and frowned.

 

“It’s a thing you can play video games on. I’ll show you how to use it later.”

 

He nodded and set it aside. Scorpius handed out more gifts and Draco held the other gift from Harry. He smiled knowing it was Harry’s handwriting on the tag now. Harry opened a gift from his son and smiled at the little trinket, Draco realized it was a bracelet and raised an eyebrow as Harry put it on. He opened his gift and frowned again.

 

“Games for the DS.”

 

Draco nodded and smiled as he set it with the DS. He watched the kids open their other gifts and smiled at their excited giggles. Harry chuckled as the boys opened their gifts from him and smiled at their excitement. Eventually there was only one gift left and Scorpius brought it over to Draco. He opened it and smiled at the wand holster that Scorpius had gotten him that would strap to Draco’s belt. He must have saved up his allowance for a while to get it.

 

“This is perfect. Thank you, Scorpius.”

 

He hugged Scorpius tightly and laughed as the boy protested. They all gathered their gifts and took them to the bedrooms upstairs. Harry tucked his into his rucksack and brought it with him as he followed Draco to his room. He hovered at the door for a minute before Draco motioned for him to come inside. Draco set the DS and games on his nightstand and looked at it. Harry set down his bag and moved over to sit beside Draco and picked up the box, opening it.

 

“You open this and then push this switch up to turn it on.”

 

Harry showed him before turning it back off and then picked up the games, picked one and opened it. He showed it to Draco.

 

“You put this game cartridge in the game slot and then turn it on. The game will load. You use the buttons to play or you pull this pen out and use the bottom screen that’s a touch screen to do some things.”

 

Draco looked at it in confusion as Harry handed to him. He followed the instructions on the screen and started to slowly figure out how it worked. Harry laughed at Draco played the little racing game and grumbled as he didn’t do very well.

 

“You’ll get better as you play it and figure it out. There’s a couple of different games there too so you won’t get too bored with it. Something to do to pass time when you’ve got nothing else to do.”

 

Draco looked up at him and realized that Harry must have slipped off and apparated to a Muggle store while they were in Diagon Alley, all because of their conversation the night before that. He smiled and his eyes stung as tears welled up in them. Harry noticed and smiled at him, wrapping an arm around him. Draco leaned into him and smiled with the tears in his eyes. He had a thought and looked up at Harry.

 

“Maybe…maybe I can get one of those cell phones…and keep in contact with you.”

 

“That would be good. It would make it a little easier.”

 

Harry smiled and nodded happily.

 

“I’ll take you to get one.”

 

Draco smiled until he heard Scorpius at the door.

 

“Father, what are we going to do tomorrow?”

 

“What do you mean, Scorpius?”

 

“You said that we are supposed to go to Grandmother and Grandfather’s tomorrow for dinner. Will Mr. Potter and Albus come with us?”

 

Draco looked at him wide eyed for a second and then at Harry.

 

“Er…I don’t know…if they want to they are welcome to I guess. Mother wouldn’t mind, though…father and Harry have never gotten along well.”

 

“I’m sure we can be civil for one night, if you’d like us to come with you guys.”

 

Draco hesitated but nodded quietly.

 

“Like I said, if you would like to.”

 

Harry seemed to consider it and nodded. Draco was shocked that he wanted to but he couldn’t help the small grin that spread across his face. The idea of it did make him a little nervous, though. Scorpius smiled and took off, probably to tell Albus.

 

“What are we going to do for dinner _tonight_ though?”

 

“Oh, I don’t know. We used to have a traditional dinner but I can’t cook that well so I haven’t in a few years. I don’t even have anything to make a dinner like that with.”

 

“I’m sure the boys would love a traditional Christmas feast like that. We can go get the stuff if you’d like.”

 

“Diagon Alley? I don’t know that they’d have everything and Hogsmeade is a bit far.”

 

Harry grinned and the expression made Draco very nervous.

 

“Get dressed, I have a better idea. We can take the boys with us.”

 

Harry grabbed his bag and goes to the bathroom to get dressed. Draco got dressed quickly and was putting on his socks when Harry returned. Both of the boys poked their heads around the door frame, both of them dressed and ready to go so Draco assumed that Harry had told them. Draco finished putting his socks on and stood up.

 

“You guys ready to go?”

 

Draco looked at them and gathered the stuff he needed from the nightstand to go out. The boys both cheered ‘yeah’ and grinned widely. Harry held out his hand to the two and they grabbed onto his arm. He then held out his other hand to Draco. He smiled and gripped Harry’s hand tightly before they disapparated. When they apparated they were in a place that Draco didn’t recognize. He looked at Harry in confusion.

 

“It’s a Muggle food store. I thought it would be better to apparate in the parking lot so that we can walk in and no Muggles would notice.”

 

Draco raised an eyebrow but allowed Harry to lead him inside. It was fairly quiet inside with only some people inside getting last minute things for Christmas dinners. Harry led them around the store. Scorpius and Draco walked slowly, watching the things around them in amazement. Harry and Albus seemed unbothered by anything, which Draco took to mean they did this often. He’d grabbed a buggy from the front and grabbed a few things as they walked. Scorpius stopped and looked at some of the packages on the shelves. If they didn’t have images on them Draco doubted he’d know what any of them were as they had strange names. Scorpius looked at one bag that Draco had to assume was some kind of cookies. Harry stopped and looked back at them with a smile. He picked up the bag that Scorpius was looking at and put it in the buggy. Scorpius smiled at him gratefully. Draco began to question the behaviour of the two. Scorpius hadn’t acted so young in years but something about Harry and Albus brought out a more playful side in him. He was a little confused by it. He hadn’t questioned it the first two days because he believed it just to be excitement to spend time with his friend. Draco was growing suddenly uncertain of it. They were thirteen, and while thirteen-year olds were still children he didn’t remember him and his classmates being this youthful and playful. He shook his head and continued on after Harry and the others.

 

“Do you want to have turkey or ham?”

 

Harry looked at him as they reached a part of the store that held different meats.

 

“Turkey is nicer than ham, in my opinion.”

 

Harry nodded and looked over some of them. He picked one out that would be enough for the four of them. They gathered a few last things before heading towards the front. Harry put their things up on the counter for the young Muggle lady to count up their price. Harry pulled out Muggle money from his pocket and paid before gathering the bags. They went back out to where they’d appeared. The boys held onto Harry’s arm and Draco rested his hand on his shoulder. They appeared back in the house and Harry went to the kitchen quietly. He gave Scorpius the bag of cookies he’d bought him.

 

“Don’t eat them all before dinner or you’ll be too full for the turkey.”

 

He warned as the boys took off again. Harry moved around the kitchen and began to prepare the food, to Draco’s shock he did it without magic.

 

“Do you need some help?”

 

Harry looked up at Draco and smiled. He gestured to the potatoes.

 

“You can peel them and cut them into cubes if you want.”

 

Draco nodded and picked up the peeler from the drawer to begin his work. He decided to do it without magic the way that Harry was and it was hard on his hands but it was nice to work quietly with Harry. He finished the potatoes and rinsed the starch off his hands.

 

“Where do you want me to put all these?”

 

Harry pointed at a pot he’d put on the stove with water in it. Draco picked up the cutting board and carefully put the potato chunks into the pot. Harry pushed a couple of carrots towards him.

 

“Same thing. Just slices instead of cubes.”

 

Draco nodded and picked up the carrots to start working on them. It was calming and he found this part of cooking easy. He kind of liked it and Harry made it less stressful to make the food. They worked quietly until all they could do was wait for everything to cook.

 

“So, your aunt taught you to cook then?”

 

“More like she yelled at me until I did it right. Mrs. Weasley taught me more than my aunt did.”

 

“Well that’s sweet of Mrs. Weasley then, isn’t it?”

 

Draco offered a small smile but he could see Harry’s mind had drifted elsewhere. He looked pained and Draco felt bad for bringing up his aunt again.

 

“You ok? Sorry for bringing that up. I won’t ask about it anymore.”

 

Harry snapped out of it and looked at him.

 

“No, it’s ok. I just haven’t thought about any of it in a long time. For a long time that was all I knew about family. I don’t mind telling you if you have questions. I don’t hate talking about it as much as I used to, just a lot of memories that I buried for a long time.”

 

Draco nodded and sighed, he stood beside Harry and leaned into his side a little. He shocked himself at how easily he fell into this kind of behaviour with Harry but it felt right and it was so easy. He hadn’t even really been like this with his wife.

 

“What were they like?”

 

“For the first…thirteen years I was there my room was the tiny cupboard under the stairs. I was given only my cousins hand-me-down clothes and what was essentially table scraps for food.”

 

“That’s why you were so small. I had no idea.”

 

“Not many did, only my closest friends and Dumbledore. I was forced to cook and clean, basically like a house elf I guess. Dudley liked to beat me up and make fun of me for sport. When I started showing signs of my magic they punished me for it even though I had no idea what was going on.”

 

Harry sighed and avoided looking at Draco.

 

“They didn’t tell me about my parents and when my Hogwarts letter showed up they tried to stop it and weren’t going to let me go until Hagrid showed up and gave them no choice in the matter.”

 

Draco frowned deeply and a spark of anger ignited inside him.

 

“They sound awful. I can’t believe they could be such monsters.”

 

“If you’d ever met them you’d get it. Like I said though, towards the end of my time with them they showed what could almost be considered a sliver of remorse but not really. Dudley ended up trying to admit he was thankful for me saving his life once…sort of anyways.”

 

“They were horrible to you and you saved his life?”

 

Harry nodded but his face didn’t change.

 

“There was a Dementor attack in the summer before my third year. They tried to give him the Dementor’s Kiss. I couldn’t let them. My aunt and uncle would have killed me.”

 

Draco sighed, he could see Harry’s point but he still didn’t agree with it.

 

“When you introduced yourself…and suggested we be friends just before the sorting…your self importance and attitude…it kind of reminded me of how they act towards people, especially wizards.”

 

Draco’s heart dropped and he looked at Harry in shock.

 

“I know it was just how you were raised and I know now you were just an arrogant and entitled kid, I also know you seem to have changed…but at the time…the way you treated Ron and Neville, I just couldn’t abide by that or see myself being friends with someone so elitist.”

 

“I…I guess that’s fair. I learned a lot in years six and seven. My views started to change, I guess, and I started to see what my parents had taught me for what it really was. Hermione punching me in the face might have helped some too.”

 

Harry laughed.

 

“I still maintain that that was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. You looked appalled.”

 

“Well who knew Granger had it in her and she’s got a pretty good right hook.”

 

Harry smiled at him and turned to face him more, leaning down to kiss him gently. Draco pushed into the kiss a little. Harry pulled away from the kiss a little and Draco was left staring into his bright green eyes. They were full of life despite the pain he’d faced in his lifetime. Between the people who raised him, the people he must have lost in the war, and fighting the Dark Lord himself. Draco subconsciously covered his dark mark with his hand even though it was hidden under his sleeve. Harry noticed and moved Draco’s hand away from it.

 

“Draco, you don’t have to feel bad about that. I know you went through some dark things and your family didn’t put you in a great position.”

 

Draco looked at Harry’s hand on his arm and then up at the man in front of him.

 

“But I do feel bad about it. I did terrible things…I cursed that poor girl…I poisoned Ron…I was sent to assassinate Dumbledore. I was horrible to you and so many people.”

 

“Katie is fine. Ron lived. And Snape killed Dumbledore, not you. Dumbledore was dying anyways though. He had a year to live when the battle in the Astronomy tower took place. Yes, you did some terrible things but I don’t blame you, not for all of it anyways. If you make the effort to atone for it and change then it doesn’t matter what you’ve done, it’s what you do with the rest of your life that will mean something.”

 

Draco gave him a weak smile, he wasn’t as sure as Harry seemed to be.

 

“I didn’t know the old man was already dying.”

 

“He put on a ring that he shouldn’t have. There was a curse on it. Snape slowed it. Snape knew and Dumbledore asked for him to be the one to kill him instead of you.”

 

“Dumbledore knew?”

 

“I don’t think there was much of anything that man didn’t know.”

 

Harry smiled and kissed Draco’s cheek. Draco felt strange that Dumbledore knew he was going to kill him, and did nothing about it. Maybe he’d been confident that Snape could do it before Draco would. Draco wasn’t really sure about it.

 

“How did you know all of that?”

 

“When Snape was dying he gave me some of his memories. It explained everything that I’d been left out of and was what told me I had to die to kill Voldemort.”

 

“But…you didn’t die…”

 

“Actually, I did. It just didn’t stick.”

 

Harry grinned.

 

“When Voldemort killed me, he ended up actually killing the piece of his own soul that was trapped inside me. It made him mortal and therefore able to be killed. Your mother was there. She was sent to check if I was dead, she asked me if you were alive and okay. When I nodded discreetly that you were she lied for me and said I was dead so they brought me back to the palace. You saw the rest.”

 

“My mom…lied…to the Dark Lord…simply because you told her I was alive?”

 

Harry nodded and Draco looked at him with a dumbfounded expression.

 

“She seemed frantic and concerned when she asked. That’s why I have no problem going with you tomorrow. I never got a chance to thank your mother for doing what she did.”

 

“I never……I never knew.”

 

“You wouldn’t have, but I think it’s about time someone told you. Your mother loves you even if she’s not great at showing it.”

 

Draco shook his head.

 

“I’ve always known she loved me. She was kind to me when I was a kid, spoiling me every chance she got. She made Snape vow to help me and protect me in sixth year, and that if I couldn’t do it he’d step in and complete my task. Everything she did…was for me. I just didn’t think…I don’t know, since I failed my task mother and father seemed…I don’t know how to explain it.”

 

Harry nodded.

 

“They both love you, I hope you know that. Messed up ideals or not, I think you were the only thing they truly loved.”  

 

Draco smiled and his eyes were full of tears. He hugged Harry tightly and rested his head against his chest. Harry chuckled and wrapped his arms around him, holding Draco tight and let him freely be an emotional mess.

 

“I never did apologize for almost killing you in sixth year though.”

 

Draco looked up as Harry said it and he remembered the incident. In the bathroom. He still had the scars on his chest from it. Snape could do many things, and they’d thought he could heal with no scars but he hadn’t been able to do that. Draco hadn’t thought about that in a long time.

 

“Yeah, what was that, by the way?”

 

“Apparently a spell of Snape’s own making. I didn’t actually know what it did before I cast it at you. I am really sorry about that. I noticed the scars last night but thought it best not to say anything at the time.”

 

“I forgive you for that as long as you promise not to ever do it again.”

 

“I promise.”

 

Draco smiled and Harry wiped the tears off his face just as the timer for the turkey went off. They broke apart as Harry sprung into action. Checking everything and setting what was done in dishes. The turkey went on a platter that Draco didn’t even know he had.

 

“Can you go get the kids?”

 

Harry looked at him as he waved his wand to set the table and carry the food over to the table. Draco nodded and headed upstairs. He got to Scorpius’ door and found it open a little. He peeked in to see the boys curled together on his bed, reading their textbooks and working on some homework together. Draco smiled at the sight and knocked on the doorframe. Both boys looked up at him.

 

“Dinner is ready, you two.”

 

Both of them got up and set aside their books to run past him down to the table. Draco shook his head as he followed them and he thought he might have figured out why they were acting the way they were. Dinner was alive with laughter and talk, Harry joined in when they started debating some things about the Muggle world. Harry was the only one of the four of them that had ever lived in the Muggle world completely. The way Harry explained it was fascinating to Draco and he had to remind himself to eat while he was listening a few times. When it was over the boys took off again to work on their homework. Draco helped Harry with the dishes.

 

“I don’t think Albus and Scorpius are friends.”

 

Harry looked at him in confusion.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean I think there is more going on there.”

 

“Well that’s awkward.”

 

“How so?”

 

“Well, I think it’s a little weird to want to date my son’s boyfriend’s father. Don’t you?”

 

Draco raised an eyebrow.

 

“You…you mean that?”

 

“Well, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t. I know it’s a little fast after us only just agreeing to a friendship but after last night and the last couple days here…I see no reason not to. I mean…”

 

“Yes, Potter. I will go out with you if you stop tripping over your own tongue.”

 

Harry grinned at him and kissed him again, much more passionately this time like he felt freer to do so. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry’s neck and kissed him back. When they broke apart Draco frowned.

 

“So, does this mean you’ll be meeting my parents as my boyfriend tomorrow then?”

 

“I vote that we wait to tell them…if only because I know your father is not opposed to using the killing curse.”

 

Draco laughed and kissed him again. Then his brain started to work again.

 

“Wait a minute…the kids clearly set us up to be together…why would they do that if they’re together?”

 

Draco frowned and Harry raised an eyebrow.

 

“I…that’s…a good question.”

 

“Ambush them?”

 

“I think so.”

 

They both snuck upstairs and paused at Scorpius’ door.

 

“Do you think your dad has gotten up the nerve to just ask my dad out yet?”

 

Scorpius looked at Albus as he worked on a part of his homework.

 

“I bloody well hope so. I’m almost shocked it worked as well as it did. I was ready for us to have to get a love potion from Uncle George to get them to even try.”

 

Harry looked at Draco and frowned.

 

“What do you think your grandparents are going to say?”

 

“I…you know I don’t actually know what they’ll think. What about yours?”

 

“I think my grandma is gonna make your dad one of her knitted sweaters for Christmas next year. She treated my dad like a son even before him and mom were together apparently and she still does. She’s always upset that he doesn’t come for Christmas anymore.”

 

“What about your mom?”

 

“Mom has been convinced that dad was gay for years dude. If he shows up with Draco she might finally stop being so mad at him.”

 

Harry furrowed his brows and looked at the kids.

 

“But I don’t know what our dads will say about us…”

 

Albus looked down like he was ashamed.

 

“To be fair though, we started dating in second year. It’s not our fault they talk about each other like they’re in love _all the time_ and never got around to figuring it out till we pushed them. Pureblood families have all kinds of weird things of like distant cousins getting married though so I don’t see how anyone can complain about this.”

 

Albus laughed at Scorpius’ comment and shook his head.

 

“I think this is a little different.”

 

Scorpius shrugged and went back to his homework. Draco looked at Harry and nodded before they opened the door all the way and stood there with their arms folded over their chests. Both boys looked at their fathers and shrieked as Harry ran at them with his hands in the position for a tickle attack. Albus tried to run past Draco but he caught a hold of the boy and hoisted him up over his shoulder to carry him back into the room.

 

“You’re both busted. We figured out what was going on.”

 

Albus yelled to be put down and Draco did, putting him back on the bed for Harry to attack. The boy squirmed and yelled trying to get away from his father. Harry laughed and eventually he let go of the kids. They sat as far as they could from him laughing and catching their breath.

 

“Now, what have we learned?”

 

“That we were right.”

 

Scorpius grinned and scooted away from Harry as he glared at him. Albus giggled and curled up beside Scorpius.

 

“You two are the worst.”

 

Harry laughed and shook his head. Draco smiled at them.

 

“And we will not be telling my parents yet.”

 

Draco looked at both of them pointedly and they nodded in understanding.

 

“Now, I think it’s bedtime early tonight, seen as how you’re a pair of little sneaks.”

 

The boys yelled in disappointment.

 

“And in _separate_ beds.”

 

Harry added as he looked at them. Draco hadn’t even thought of that and now he made a face, nodding in agreement with Harry. The boys grumbled and Albus tossed a pillow and blanket on the floor, sticking out his tongue at the adults as he crawled off the bed to sleep on the floor. Harry and Draco smiled at each other and then the kids.

 

“Good night, boys.”

 

They both said before leaving the room and closing the door. They went back downstairs to finish up the last couple dishes.

 

“I bet you three galleons that when we wake up in the morning he’ll be back in the bed.”

 

Harry chuckled and Draco laughed.

 

“I’m not making that bet because I know damn well he will be.”

 

Harry grinned at him and put away the clean dishes.

 

“Am I allowed in your bed tonight?”

 

“You’re only not allowed in my bed when you’re being terrible and I kick you out of it.”

 

Harry grinned and moved over to stand in front of Draco, as close as he could get to him.

 

“Is that so?”

 

Draco grinned and leaned up close to his face.

 

“Yes.”

 

Harry laughed before leaning down and picking Draco up, carrying him over his shoulder the way Draco had carried Albus. Draco squawked and protested as he was carried to his room and laid down on the bed. Harry kissed him and it was different than the night before. There was more feeling behind this and Draco found it intoxicating. He could so easily lose himself in it.

 

~~~~~

 

“Come on, guys, we’re going to be late if you don’t hurry up.” 

 

Draco paced anxiously as Harry came out of the bathroom, dressed in nicer clothes than normal and wizarding clothes instead of Muggle clothes.

 

“Your hair is a disaster.”

 

“There’s nothing I can do with it. Aunt Petunia tried cutting it when I was younger but it just grew back by the next day and I’ve never managed to get it to sit neatly.”

 

Draco wrinkled up his nose up and ran his fingers through Harry’s hair trying to straighten it out at least a little but was completely unsuccessful. Harry smiled and moved his head away from Draco’s hand.

 

“It’ll be fine. I don’t think your parents will care about my hair. They’ve seen it before.”

 

Draco nodded and sighed as Scorpius and Albus came out dressed properly. Albus’ hair was just as bad as his father’s.

 

“Oh no. Not both of you. Come here.”

 

Draco dragged Albus to the bathroom and did his best to straighten out the boy’s hair. It worked for the most part and Draco nodded in satisfaction.

 

“That’ll have to do.”

 

Harry laughed as he saw his disgruntled son come back out with Draco.

 

“We’ll see how long that lasts.”

 

“It’d better last.”

 

Harry shook his head and Draco grumbled as they headed down to the fireplace. They each went through the Floo Network and ended up in the living room of Draco’s childhood home. His mother was sitting in her chair reading a book. She looked up and seemed confused at the extra people in her living room.

 

“Draco, you didn’t tell me you were bringing others with you.”

 

“Sorry, mother, we decided it last night.”

 

“Oh, well that’s alright. The elves always make extra food so there will be plenty.”

 

She looked at Harry and smiled a little.

 

“Harry, it’s been a long time. How are you?”

 

Draco was shocked at how easily she spoke to him. Almost like there had never been anything horrible between them. He supposed that maybe the events of the Battle had this affect, and that it likely meant Harry had been right. He froze as his father walked into the room.

 

“Potter…and…his son?”

 

“One of them, yes, this is Albus.”

 

Harry smiled at him but Lucius seemed unimpressed.

 

“I see…”

 

Draco felt so on edge that he honestly just wanted to go back home and pretend this never happened. Harry looked back to Draco’s mother.

 

“I’ve been alright, Mrs. Malfoy, thank you. I hope you’ve been doing well. You look lovely.”

 

Harry grinned and Draco watched as she smiled brightly, beaming at the compliment.

 

“I have been well, dear. You can call me Narcissa, no need to stand on formality with me.”

 

Lucius wrinkled up his nose and made an unimpressed noise. He sat in his own chair and motioned for Scorpius to come over to him.

 

“Tell me, how have you been doing in school? Did you try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team like we discussed last I saw you?”

 

“School has been good, grandfather, Professor Longbottom says I show promise in herbology. Potions is tricky but Albus helps me figure it out. Professor McGonagall says I should be able to bring up my grade in Transfiguration if I study a little harder. I’m not doing terribly but she thinks I can do better.”

 

Scorpius sat on the foot stool to talk to him and Draco smiled a little.

 

“I didn’t make the Quidditch team though.”

 

“Perhaps next year then. Practice you flying and you’ll get in I’m sure of it.”

 

Lucius looked at Albus and studied him with cold eyes.

 

“The Potter boy is your friend, then?”

 

“Yes, he’s my best friend.”

 

Scorpius looked a little uncomfortable and Narcissa looked between Scorpius and Albus. There was a knowing look in her eyes and it worried Draco. She caught Draco’s eye and smiled softly. He felt Harry’s soothing hand on his back and he took a deep breath. Narcissa seemed to notice this too and raised an eyebrow but Draco looked at Scorpius to avoid the look. He hadn’t wanted to tell his parents yet but his mother may already know.

 

“I see. What house are you in?”

 

Lucius looked at Albus with a cold stare.

 

“Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy.”

 

Lucius looked shocked at this but pleased none the less. He nodded and smiled at the boy, a rare thing to see from the man. It wasn’t much of a smile, more of a small smirk but it was more than could normally be expected from him.

 

“That’s good.”

 

Albus nodded and smiled back, a happier and more genuine smile than Lucius’.

 

“Harry, Draco, please have a seat and join us.”

 

Draco hesitated before moving to sit on the settee. Harry followed closely and sat beside Draco so closely that he could feel the phone in his pocket vibrate, making him jump. Harry pulled it out and responded to a text from each Ron and Hermione.

 

“Ron has one of those damned things too?”

 

“Hermione made him get one, it took him a while to get used to it.”

 

Harry tucked the phone away and smiled. Draco shook his head and looked at his son, now quietly discussing school and Quidditch. Narcissa looked at the time and smiled.

 

“I think we have time for presents before dinner.”

 

She got up and went over to their small, simple tree in the corner of the room. She grabbed a few gifts and brought them back to Draco and Scorpius. Draco could tell that Scorpius’ was a broom from the shape of it and he smiled. He looked at his and opened it, finding it to be a book.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He studied and found it to be instead a cookbook. He frowned and looked at his mother.

 

“Scorpius wrote to me and said that you were having trouble with cooking a little. It’s a wizarding cookbook so it gives you instructions to do it with magic too.”

 

Draco looked at Scorpius in utter betrayal and the boy looked back sheepishly.

 

“I know you try, father, but it can’t be bad to have some help. The book was grandmother’s idea.”

 

“You are a traitor and I will never make grilled cheese for you again.”

 

Scorpius pouted at his father and protested silently. Narcissa chuckled and shook her head.

 

“You know you will not deny your son his favourite lunch, you’re too soft with him to do that.”

 

Draco rolled his eyes but nodded because he knew she was right and so did Scorpius.

 

“Honestly, Draco, I think you should remarry. A stern mother is what Scorpius needs in his life, a child needs at least one stern parent to have any backbone.”

 

Draco shifted uncomfortably and Narcissa looked at him in concern.

 

“Draco, I want to show you something I got last week that I think you’ll be quite interested in. Harry, you may come as well, if you’d like.”

 

Narcissa stood and reached a hand out to her son. He hesitated but took it and noted that Harry did follow them. She led them out up to the library and showed him a cabinet. It was beautiful but he didn’t think it was worth such a fuss.

 

“It’s very nice, mother.”

 

She smiled and turned to face him and Harry.

 

“I think so too but you and I both know this is not why I brought you away from your father to a far corner of the house where he wouldn’t be able to hear or sneak up on us without me knowing it.”

 

Draco nodded and watched her suspiciously.

 

“It’s abundantly clear to me that Scorpius and Albus are not merely friends. Am I correct in this observation?”

 

Draco sighed and nodded quietly.

 

“I thought so, and as I am your mother I know you better than anyone. There is something about the way you two are that is similar to your sons, yet a whole different thing which I can attribute to you being adults. Would I be right in assuming that you are together?”

 

She gave him a burning look that just dared him to try to lie to her but he knew better. She would find out, one way or another. She always knew or she found out. Draco hung his head as he responded to her just barely audibly.

 

“Yes…”

 

Her hand came into his few as she put her hand under his chin to pull his head up to meet her gaze.

 

“Draco…you need not be ashamed before me. I…I always got the notion that you might be interested in men, if not both genders. The way you spoke of Harry in school I was always surprised that nothing happened between you then.”

 

Draco’s face twisted into an expression of surprise and shock. Of course, she would know something like that. She was his mother.

 

“You are my son, no matter who you love. And as long as you have love in your life I will be happy.”

 

She smiled and hugged him tightly, letting her grown son snuggle his face into his mother’s shoulder as a few tears escaped him.

 

“But father…he…you can’t tell him.”

 

“Your father will either accept you or he’ll sorely miss out on being a part of your life in a proper way. I won’t allow him to hurt you in any way because of Harry. If anything, he should be proud of you.”

 

Draco doubted very much that he would ever be proud of him, especially for something like this. Narcissa moved her attention to Harry and held her arms out to him.

 

“You are a part of this family, you’ve done so much for us and for you to love my son is only one more thing for which I can never repay you.”

 

Harry smiled and hugged the woman tightly before letting go of her.

 

“I think we are even for as much as you think I’ve done for you. You saved my life and played a large part in ending the War.”

 

She smiled at him and shook her head. She turned her attention back to Draco.

 

“Now, you will tell your father before he finds out from someone else and we’ll deal with what happens next together.”

 

There was a crack and an elf appeared beside them.

 

“Dinner is ready, Mistress.”

 

“Thank you, we will be down promptly.”

 

She told the elf and it disapparated. She looked at Draco expectantly.

 

“After dinner. I will tell him after dinner, hopefully a full stomach will improve his disposition.”

 

She nodded in understanding and they made their way back down to the dining room. Lucius and the children were already seated at the table waiting for them. They took their seats and the food was served. It was fine food that Draco had grown used to at a child and he sorely missed when he was at home. He wasn’t as hungry as he had been though. His stomach felt uneasy at the prospect of the impending conversation with his father. He wasn’t sure what to say or even how to say it. It was terrifying more so because Lucius had never really voiced an opinion on the topic and so Draco had no idea what was coming.

 

“So, Draco, have you found a job befitting of your time yet? Or are you still living on what you had from your last job and what we’ve provided?”

 

“No, father, I haven’t found anything I would like to spend my life doing. Not quite yet. That’s not to say that I’ve given up on looking though.”

 

Draco picked at his dinner and avoided eye contact with Lucius who sat proudly at the end of the table with Narcissa beside him and Draco on his other side. He didn’t need to look at his father to hear his disapproval. It wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation.

 

“Well then perhaps when you’re looking for a new wife you should find one who is well off or has a good paying job herself, if you insist on being a stay at home father.”

 

Draco looked sideways at Harry, who was an Auror and indeed had a well-paying job as well as his inheritance both from his parents and presumably from his godfather. Harry only smiled and ate his dinner quietly.

 

“I’ll keep that in mind, father.”

 

Lucius made a face.

 

“Scorpius tells me you spend most of your time shut in at home. To meet such a girl, you’ll need to get out of the house, I’ll see what I can do about getting you an invitation to a party of a nice family.”

 

“I didn’t realize you’d regained your pull in the community.”

 

“Watch your attitude. I worked hard to regain a place of status. Not many are willing to trust an ex-Death Eater. A problem I’m sure that you’ve also faced.”

 

Draco nodded and ate some of his food, it was good but he still wasn’t very hungry. Lucius seemed to take notice of this.

 

“What’s wrong with the food?”

 

“Nothing, father, I’m simply not as hungry as I thought I was.”

 

“Are you ill?”

 

“No, I’m fine.”

 

Lucius glared but a noise from Narcissa silenced him quickly. Once they’d finished the table was cleared away and Lucius went to his study while Narcissa and Harry took the boys out to the garden. Draco stood in the living room awkwardly. He looked at the family portraits on the wall and sighed. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d felt at home here. He heard Lucius enter the room and turned to look at his father as he picked up the book Narcissa had been reading when they arrived. His parents often shared the books they were reading and used specific bookmarks so that they could both read it at the same time if they wanted. Lucius noticed him and paused.

 

“You’re not outside with the others?”

 

“I wanted to talk to you…actually mother demanded that I talk to you…”

 

“And what is it that she wanted you to say?”

 

“She told me it would be best for you to hear some things from me rather than hear it from others later.”

 

“I would prefer you to tell me things, yes.”

 

Draco took a deep breath and paused.

 

“I’m not looking for a wife, father.”

 

“Well that much is abundantly clear.”

 

“I’m not looking because I have someone.”

 

“And you didn’t bring her with you to meet us today?”

 

Draco’s eyes stung but he pushed it away.

 

“Actually…I did…”

 

Lucius looked confused for a moment and then concerned.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I never said it was a ‘she’.”

 

Lucius stepped towards Draco and his hard expression melted a little.

 

“Harry?”

 

Draco nodded and looked at the floor.

 

“It’s still new, I hadn’t wanted to tell either of you yet but mother figured it out rather quickly on her own…she told me it would be best to tell you now.”

 

Lucius looked almost pained and Draco couldn’t discern which part of this was painful for him.

 

“You…didn’t want to tell me. Why?”

 

“I…was afraid…”

 

Draco knew it was dangerous to admit such a weakness to his father but what else could he say.

 

“Afraid? Of me? Son…why would you ever be afraid of me?”

 

Lucius looked hurt and bothered by this and it struck Draco as odd.

 

“You weren’t the most kind and caring father when I was young, you held status and blood purity as important above me. You all but beat any signs of weakness out of me and tried to force me to see things the way you did. You had no compassion and only defended me because it suited you to do so. Why would I not be afraid of you?”

 

Lucius looked like each statement winded him, like it was a blow to his heart and Draco didn’t know what to think of such a reaction.

 

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry if that’s how it seemed to you. I assure you that I did and do love you. You’re my son. I know my views and methods were questionable at best. I did what I thought was best no matter how misguided. I learned a lot the day the Dark Lord fell. It was a lesson I’m sad to say that I sorely needed.”

 

Lucius moved like he was going to hug Draco but wasn’t sure if he could or should.

 

“I never meant to harm you in such a way. I only wanted you to be strong and to ensure that you’d be able to survive the world as it was. It took far too long for me to see that I was part of what was wrong with it at the time.”

 

“You taught me to be apathic. To shut down any sign of weakness and not to feel anything. I hated myself for not being able to do that.”

 

“I know, and I truly am sorry for that. I never guessed that it was what made you so distant from me after the War ended, though I guess I should have.”

 

For the first time in Draco’s memory he saw tears in his father’s eyes.

 

“You love him, then?”

 

“I don’t know yet. It’s still new but it feels like I do. I can see myself loving him. He’s something I never imagined and for whatever reason he sees past everything that’s happened between us before.”

 

Lucius smiled, a true and bright smile that was more genuine than any Draco had seen from him before.

 

“He is technically a pureblood.”

 

Lucius chuckled and Draco rolled his eyes at the joking tone of his father’s voice.

 

“Yes, I suppose he is.”

 

“His son seems like a good kid.”

 

“He is, I don’t know about his siblings but Albus does seem to be a respectable young wizard.”

 

“He has siblings?”

 

“Harry has three children. I’ve only seen them in passing but as far as I know he only has the three. The other two are with their mother for the holidays.”

 

“But Albus isn’t?”

 

“No, him and Scorpius decided they wanted to spend this holiday together. I invited Harry to stay too when I realized he would be completely alone for the holiday without Albus and things just kind of…happened…”

 

Lucius nodded.

 

“I still don’t completely understand why you were for afraid to tell me about you and him.”

 

“I didn’t think you’d approve. It’s not as if you’ve really voiced an opinion on gay relationships.”

 

“I didn’t think I needed to. If I don’t have to voice my approval of you being interested in women then why would I have to voice my approval of you liking men? Voicing my opinion on specific people is a different matter…and truthfully, I have nothing against Potter. He’s the one that told us you were alive and safe.”  

 

Draco looked at his father curiously.

 

“You literally sought out his death when he was a teenager.”

 

“Well, no one said I was perfect. As I said I have a questionable past and have made some less that favourable decisions. I sought the boy’s death because the Dark Lord willed it to be done. The only time I detested him personally on my own was when he freed Dobby and when he rejected your friendship in first year. Anything else was driven by the Dark Lord’s wishes and not my own. I once believed he could be turned to our side of the war and now I’m glad he wasn’t.”

 

Lucius sighed and Draco smiled weakly. It was bizarre to have such a conversation with his father but it was refreshing and honestly was a promising sign. He knew better than to hope for much though.

 

“So, if I do intend to stay with Harry…”

 

“Then I approve.”

 

Lucius held his arms open awkwardly and Draco smiled as he hugged his father. It was strangely comforting.

 

“However, if he hurts you I’m not opposed to using an Unforgiveable Curse on him.”

 

Lucius laughed and let go of Draco, smiling at him so warmly it looked strange on his usually cold face. He heard a small chuckle and looked over to see the others all standing in the doorway, his mother beaming. Lucius looked at Harry and offered his hand, which Harry shook.

 

“Welcome to the family. I trust you heard that last part.”

 

“Loud and clear, sir.”

 

Harry smiled and stepped back to put an arm around Draco, who leaned into it, thankfully feeling freer to do so now. Scorpius and Albus looked at each other and grinned widely. Draco couldn’t help but smile at the pair of them. Lucius looked at Albus and smiled.

 

“I suppose this might mean you can call me grandfather, as well. Or just Lucius if you prefer.”

 

Narcissa shook her head.

 

“I think Lucius will do for now. Your son is not the only one here who’s a little fond of a Potter.”

 

Lucius looked at the boys and at their fathers.

 

“Now that…well that could get complicated…”

 

Harry shrugged.

 

“They were together first, and they none too subtly pushed us together.”

 

Draco shook his head as Scorpius grinned with a mock innocence. Lucius shook his head and sighed. Narcissa seemed lost in thought for a while before she spoke.

 

“I think, I’d very much like to meet Harry’s family. The boys were telling me about James and Lily, Harry’s other children. Though I suspect if we invite them we’d best prepare for a house full of Weasleys.”

 

Lucius looked from her to Harry.

 

“Yes, you married the Weasley girl, didn’t you?”

 

“Married and divorced. Molly and Arthur were like parents to me even before that though. They still treat me as a son when I see them, which is much rarer since I divorced their daughter.”

 

“Well, I don’t see the harm in inviting them, if they are like parents to you.”

 

Harry nodded and smiled.

 

“Let me know about the specifics and I’ll be sure to pass along the invitation.”

 

Narcissa nodded and looked at her husband.

 

“I think that maybe now we can have the dessert I had the elves prepare.”

 

Lucius nodded in approval and she went to inform the elves. Draco looked at his father, his boyfriend, his son and Harry’s son each in turn. It made his heart warm to know that this was now his family, and that there was more to come.

 

~~~~~

 

Draco stood on the platform for nine and three quarters, bouncing anxiously on his toes. He and Harry had grown closer in the time since Christmas and had sought out a bigger home for them and the four children.

 

Harry ended up deciding to move them into the Black family home as Grimauld Place. Something he’d inherited from Sirius. They had renovated it to suit them better and cleaned out the old rooms to move their families into it. Harry stored the Black family’s belongings away, getting rid of only the things he felt weren’t personal enough to bother keeping. Anything that’d belonged to the Lady of the house went immediately. Harry seemed to have something against her. He refused to remove the tapestry on the wall of what they made into an office for Harry though. He even went as far as to repair the scorch marks over the members of the family that had been burned off. Draco was shocked to find that there was a house elf that lived in the home though. He hadn’t thought Harry would keep a house elf.

 

“I don’t, I tried to free him but he refused. I don’t order him around, he just does things to keep it clean and prepares meals unless I ask him not to. He stayed with me at the other house too. I can’t get rid of him…and I think my kindness to him makes him more loyal. He’s gotten better since I met him, much kinder than he was. He’s even polite and friendly to Hermione when he used to scream at her to get out.”

 

Draco was just confused by this and shook his head. Harry eventually told him that he did pay Kreacher, a small amount as the elf wouldn’t accept anymore, but nonetheless he was a paid servant to the household. That was an even stranger notion but he accepted it. It had been nice to share the home with Harry, who was often gone for work but Draco was never truly alone. They had moved in after Easter break though so the children didn’t know yet, as they’d decided for it to be a surprise and the kids other than Scorpius had spent that holiday with Ginny, and it was making him nervous to see what it would be like to live in such a full household and to have to deal with caring for Harry’s oldest son and his daughter. Albus was already very accustomed to Draco and didn’t mind the quiet man. He even played chess with Draco when opportunity arose.

 

Draco spotted the shock of light blond hair that meant his son was on the platform and saw the three Potter children close behind him. He’d been saddened to hear that Albus and Scorpius had decided they were better as friends and started to see other people but at the same time it uncomplicated things between them and their fathers. James looked even more like Harry than Albus did and Lily was somewhere between her mother and her name sake. It was startling. Draco was still getting used to it, and neither of them seemed particularly fond of him but they also didn’t vocally disapprove. Behind them he saw Hermione and Ron’s children. Scorpius spotted his father and ran over to him, hugging him tightly. Scorpius was the only one that’d been told they’d moved. Harry hadn’t thought it to be a good idea but Draco insisted it would make things easier to at least have him know what was going on.

 

Harry stood beside Draco and smiled widely as his own children approached. They hugged their father and only Albus hugged Draco, the others standing awkwardly away from him.

 

“Are you guys all ready?”

 

They nodded and Harry held out his arm for them and his other hand to Draco and Scorpius. They disapparated and apparated on the doorstep of Grimauld Place. The children, apart from Scorpius, looked utterly confused.

 

“Dad, what are we doing at your godfather’s home?”

 

“I inherited it when he passed, which you already know, and it’s a much bigger home than what we were living in. We live here now…along with Draco and Scorpius.”

 

They looked at the house and then at Draco. Harry shushed them.

 

“Go on in. You can go find your rooms. We’ve already moved you in. Hurry up and get unpacked and settled in and then get changed. We have a family dinner to go to in an hour and we’re going by Floo.”

 

The kids looked even more confused but they did as they were told. Draco’s parents had decided to finally do the big family dinner as promised and all of the Weasley family, including Ginny, would be there as well as a few others that Draco wasn’t sure he totally understood the purpose of. He knew that Teddy was Harry’s godson and also Draco’s cousin, so that made sense, but he supposed the rest were somehow Weasleys. There were a lot of them. His mother had been excited at the idea of such a vast family and planned to have the elves working hard to make good food, even looking into some Muggle foods for those inclined to that kind of thing, like Hermione, hoping to make them feel welcome and at home.

 

The kids eventually all resurfaced, dressed and ready to go. Draco sighed and moved towards the fireplace. Harry addressed the children.

 

“Ready?”

 

“Where are we even going?”

 

James questioned his father and looked warily at the fireplace.

 

“Malfoy Manor.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Because Draco’s parents are having all of us over for dinner. Your grandparents will be there as well…even your mother is going.”

 

Lily and James looked shocked by this but Albus looked excited. Lucius had taken to treating the boy like another grandson and would often give him books to borrow as long as he promised to take care of them. He’d gotten Albus a broom to match Scorpius’ for his birthday and encouraged them both to try out for Quidditch next year. Draco handed the Floo Powder around and waited as the others went through. He arrived to the Malfoy Manor more alive with laughter and excited chatter than it had ever been. It was a strangely warm feeling and made the otherwise daunting house feel almost homey. Narcissa hugged Albus and Scorpius the instant she saw them and began asking how their exams had gone. They excitedly told her about them and then brought attention to the other two with them. She smiled brightly at Lily and James, offering them hugs that they reluctantly and uncertainly accepted. She looked so much more alive and younger than she had in years with the warmth radiating from her. Lucius smiled approvingly at them and shook James’ hand. The oldest boy seemed the wariest of them.

 

“Hello, Draco.”

 

Draco spun around to see Hermione and he smiled at her. They’d spent a little time together and she’d showed him how to use his phone and laptop properly along with Harry. They helped him acclimate to using Muggle things. It opened a lot up to him that he’d never dreamed of.

 

“Hello, Hermione. How are you?”

 

“Good. Thank you for inviting us to this. Is this the house you grew up in?”

 

He nodded and looked around.

 

“Though it didn’t quite look like this when I was younger and when it had this many people in it, it was never this loud and was usually a bad thing.”

 

She nodded in understanding and chuckled.

 

“It is rather lovely here though.”

 

“It is, though it could be pretty lonely when it was just me and my parents. Very quiet and empty feeling. Too big for just the three of us and, at the time, Dobby.”

 

His train of thought was interrupted when he saw Ginny walk up next to Hermione. He felt anxious again and wished he could disappear into the floor or something. She didn’t have any malice in her gaze when she looked at him, though, and he was willing to count that as a win.

 

“Hello, Ginny…”

 

He said sheepishly.

 

“Draco.”

 

She nodded in acknowledgement.

 

“This house could honestly fit seven of the Burrow in it.”

 

Draco had never actually seen the Burrow but he’d heard it referenced dozens of times. He just nodded, not knowing what to say.

 

“Your mother is…friendly.”

 

She remarked and looked at Narcissa on the other side of the room now, talking to Mrs. Weasley.

 

“She tries to be. She was never expressly cruel or sympathetic with the Dark Lord’s cause. She just did was she was told I guess.”

 

Draco said nervously and Ginny nodded. Then she said something that stunned him.

 

“I’m glad that Harry has found you to be in his life. I’ve never seen him so vibrant and happy. I don’t think he was ever that in love with me. I’m ok with that though. He did love me…but you are a better match for him.”

 

Her smiled was sincere and almost sweet.

 

“Albus talks about you constantly. He loves you and your parents.”

 

Draco smiled back at her.

 

“My father loves him as much as he does Scorpius, I think. Though it could be that he’s happy to have more grandchildren…sort of.”

 

“He’s got more than he’ll know what to do with now.”

 

“If you’re not careful he’ll spoil Lily rotten, he wanted a granddaughter when my wife was expecting Scorpius. Though he only admitted that to my mother and under duress I expect.”

 

Draco smiled and watched as Lucius spoke to the young girl.

 

“Lily will love that. Though she’s pretty spoiled as it is between me and her father.”

 

Draco smiled and nodded in agreement. Harry was very keen on spoiling his daughter, often sending her treats during the school year. Draco had sent a few things as well under the guise of them being from Harry, which she seemed to enjoy but she didn’t know Draco had picked them for her. He’d done the same with James. Albus, of course, got Owls directly from Draco the way that Scorpius did. He even sent things back to Draco; letters and gifts from Hogsmeade usually.

 

“Though, if your father isn’t careful, Lily will convince him to let her put braids and things in his hair.”

 

Draco laughed at the mental image of that and couldn’t help but hope that it happened. It would be one of the funniest things to see his father letting a young girl play with his hair and style it for him.

 

“If she does I’ll be sure to get Hermione to show you the picture I send her of it.”

 

Ginny smiled and held out her hand.

 

“Or you can just send it to me.”

 

“You’ve got one too?”

 

Draco handed her his cell phone and watched her add herself as a contact and then text herself from his phone.

 

“There, now I have your number. Yes, I got one when the rest of them did. Our whole family has them, except for mum. Dad isn’t really good at texting but he has finally figured out you don’t have to yell when you call.”

 

Ginny laughed and then looked behind Draco, smiling. He turned around to see Harry and smiled as Harry put an arm around his waist.

 

“Hey, Harry.”

 

She said in a friendly tone and Harry looked confused by it.

 

“Hi…”

 

Draco pulled out his phone and texted Hermione.

 

_D: When was the last time G was nice to H?_

 

She responded quickly.

 

_HG: Can’t remember. When L was still small I think. Why?_

Draco raised an eyebrow.

 

_D: Because she’s being nice and he looks confused._

_HG: I’ll be over in a minute._

 

Draco put his phone away and looked at the pair of them standing there awkwardly. Harry didn’t seem to have noticed Draco’s texting.

 

“So…how has work been?”

 

Ginny made another attempt at starting the conversation. Harry seemed astounded by it and Draco looked over to where Hermione was. She was on her way thankfully.

 

“It’s been alright…same thing every day mostly. How are things for you?”

 

“Good, job with the Daily Prophet has gotten better. They’re sending me into the field more now.”

 

“That’s good.”

 

Draco was so grateful when he felt Hermione’s hand on his arm.

 

“Hey, you three. I think dinner is gonna be ready soon and Narcissa wants to make sure everyone gets enough.”

 

Hermione motioned them over towards the tables along the side of the room and they followed her into the thicker groupings of people. Hermione leaned over to speak into Draco’s ear.

 

“They just need time to get used to being friends again. Ginny is happy that he’s with you though.”

 

Draco and Hermione slipped away from them as they got distracted with other people.

 

“How can she be happy that I’m with her ex?”

 

“Because he’s her ex. They didn’t work out but that doesn’t mean she hates him. They didn’t get along for a while because she didn’t think he was moving on and felt like he cut himself off from the family. It upset her parents and therefore upset her.”

 

Draco furrowed his brows together.

 

“And now?”

 

“Now he can come back into the family comfortably as Molly and Arthur’s sort of adopted son. That’s the hope anyways and having you might help with that because it will erase some of the tension between Ginny and Harry.”

 

“I don’t see how me being around does that.”

 

“Simple, Harry is occupied. He seems happy. He has his partner and kids, and while he does share the kids with Ginny I think just the fact that he’s now with someone will make it easier. Ginny already told me she feels freer to move on, herself, and find someone.”

 

Draco nodded and sighed. He still didn’t totally get it but maybe that was because he hadn’t experienced or even seen something like that before.

 

“It’ll get easier, just gotta give it time. They can’t fix their friendship overnight after being married for that long and things ending the way they did.”

 

Hermione put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

 

“I will warn you though, while most of us are very happy for you being with Harry…Ron is still not fond of you. He doesn’t forgive easily.”

 

“I didn’t think he’d be too fond of me. The support that we’ve received from the majority of you is more than enough and Ron will eventually get over it, I’m sure.”

 

Draco smiled a little and Hermione grinned back, nodding in agreement. He caught a glimpse of Harry just before he made his way over to them.

 

“I wondered where you ran off to.”

 

“Just discussing some of the features I noticed in the house so far.”

 

Hermione grinned widely and Harry looked suspicious but said nothing as she took off. The food appeared on the tables and people began to pass out plates of food. Harry got food for both him and Draco before coming back to stand with him. They could see the children all sitting together and eating while they talked. It was a different sight for Draco but it was nice. It just felt like family and he’d never realized this was what it was supposed to feel like. Teddy was sitting a little away from the others with some girl he’d brought with him. Draco only knew it was him because he had bright blue hair right now. Ginny reappeared rather quickly and she looked a little less chipper than she had before.

 

“Harry, I’m sorry for pushing too hard. I started thinking about it and if you don’t want to be friends that’s fine, I guess…”

 

Harry cut her off.

 

“Who said I didn’t want to be friends?”

 

“You could hardly form a sentence to talk to me earlier.”

 

“Because I didn’t know why you were suddenly playing nice with me again. You’ve barely said a word to me that wasn’t an order regarding our kids since we split. It caught me off guard and I didn’t know what to say.”

 

Ginny looked at him and frowned. She seemed hurt by what he said but also like she knew he was right.

 

“I know, I’m sorry. I was trying to hard to push you away and keep you at arms length.”

 

“Why? You’d never done that to me before.”

 

“Because it felt like if I didn’t then you wouldn’t move on. But you have and you seem happy with him and that’s all I want is for you to be happy. Now maybe I can move on too instead of spending all my time fighting you.”

 

Harry nodded and smiled a little.

 

“Alright…I did want to talk to you about holidays for the kids though…”

 

“What about them?”

 

She looked at him suspiciously.

 

“You can still have them for Easter, I have no problem with that. But maybe I can have them for half of the Christmas break…and I’ll give you a couple weeks in the summer in return.”

 

Ginny smiled and looked happier than she’d been since Draco first saw her when they arrived.

 

“I think that sounds pretty fair. Or you could actually come to the Burrow at Christmas.”

 

Harry looked at Draco, who didn’t know why he was doing that.

 

“What do you think?”

 

“Me? Why do I…”

 

“Because you live with me and it involves you too. You’re part of this parenting group. So, what’s your opinion of it.”

 

Draco paused and thought about what they’d both suggested. He tried to think of what was logically the best way to do it. Typically, they were given a week before Christmas and then a little more than a week after.

 

“What if…Ginny gets them for the first part of the break…and then we all go to the Burrow…and we take them home with us from there the next day.”

 

Ginny smiled brightly and Harry nodded his approval.

 

“That would make it easier, but then what weeks of the summer?”

 

“You can have the first three weeks if you want. They get two whole months at least. That way they can have fun and relax with you and then be home to do any homework and get ready for the next school year as well as spend time with us.”

 

Harry shrugged and Ginny beamed so brightly, leaping forward to hug him. Harry hesitated but hugged her back. She stepped back looking at Draco apologetically. He shook his head to tell her it was okay.

 

“That sounds perfect. I’m sure they’ll be excited. So…I can…take them home tonight then?”

 

Draco stepped in and cleared his throat.

 

“I think they’ll be tired tonight. Maybe let them come home and sleep and pack and then they can go to you tomorrow.”

 

“Oh, yeah I guess that makes more sense. Thank you, Draco.”

 

She hugged him tightly and he was startled by it but he hugged her too. When she let go she straightened herself out and smiled at them both.

 

“So, Draco, I doubt anyone has thought to warn you but do not leave him alone while he’s cooking or he’ll put weird ingredients in your food.”

 

Draco looked at Harry suspiciously and was met only with a guilty grin.

 

“You better not.”

 

“You’ve had yet to notice but I was being gentle. I like to try different things.”

 

“I…don’t know if I trust that…”

 

“It’s usually harmless but sometimes it’s just not alright. I’ve eaten some weird tasting plates of seemingly normal food before I figured it out.”

 

Ginny laughed and shook her head. Draco grumbled.

 

“Well, at least you had the decency to let me know what was going on. Is that why that omelette tasted like soap?”

 

“No, some people think parsley tastes like soap, it really doesn’t though. It’s a selective taste thing I think. I stopped using parsley in your food after that though and you stopped complaining so I assumed it worked.”

 

Draco huffed indignantly and rolled his eyes, looking at Ginny again.

 

“Was he always so kicky in his sleep?”

 

“Oh, he used to be worse. Nightmares and trashing but I guess if he’s only kicking you then he’s gotten better.”

 

“Alright, you two, I don’t like this. I did not bring you here to gang up on me with my ex-wife.”

 

He looked from Draco to Ginny, who both fell into a fit of laughter. Harry grumbled and slumped down. Draco leaned into his arm and smiled widely, trying to stop laughing enough to talk.

 

“But it’s fun and we don’t mean any harm by it.”

 

Harry looked at Draco and put an arm around him, leaning his cheek on the top of Draco’s head.

 

“I know. It’s just gonna take some getting used to. I’d never really considered the idea of you guys getting along like this.”

 

Draco smiled and leaned into Harry a little more, wrapping one arm around him. Ginny looked as pleased as she could possibly be. It was nice to have this peace among them.

 

“So, you’ll get to experience Christmas at the Burrow.”

 

Harry said looking down at Draco.

 

“I guess I will, and we’ll still be able to bring the kids to my parents so they don’t pitch a fit.”

 

Harry smiled and laughed a little. They spent the rest of the night talking to different people as wandered around. Hermione talked to them for a while but Ron was with her and refused to acknowledge Draco. He had a scowl on his face the entire night and seemed so disapproving of everything around him. Draco saw him ignore Narcissa a few times and it made him a little angry but Harry placed his hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly. Eventually everyone started to clear out. Draco and Harry found the kids and Ginny near the fireplace.

 

“We get to stay with you?”

 

Lily asked her mother excitedly.

 

“Me and your fathers have discussed it and decided that I get you for the first three weeks of summer _and_ that instead of spending all of Christmas break with me you’ll spend the first week with me and go home with them the day after Christmas.”

 

Other than James they seemed excited for this. James seemed rather indifferent but Draco chalked that up to him being almost sixteen. Scorpius looked a little lost and unsure. He didn’t have the same deal. He lived with his father as that was all he had. Ginny looked at him and then at Draco with a clear question in her eyes. Draco smiled and nodded.

 

“Scorpius, that goes for you as well, if you’d like. That’s up to you.”

 

Scorpius’ eyes lit up and he looked at his father.

 

“Like she said, it’s up to you. Ginny is just as much your family as Harry is.”

 

Scorpius turned back to Ginny and smiled widely.

 

“Thank you, I’d love that.”

 

“We’re gonna go home tonight, you guys can sleep and pack in the morning and I’ll take you to Ginny’s.”

 

Harry spoke up and all four of them nodded in understanding. Ginny smiled and hugged them, including Scorpius, before taking some Floo Powder and going home. They headed home and the kids went straight to bed without being told. Draco sprawled out on the bed and hummed happily now that he could relax. Harry climbed into the bed beside him and smiled.

 

“What ever are we going to do with a whole three weeks completely kid free?”

 

Harry grinned devilishly, making Draco laugh. He leaned forward and kissed him gently.

 

“I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

 

Draco grinned and kissed Harry again, deeper this time and Harry got the idea, moving over Draco and kissing him harder.


End file.
